Oakland's Police Chief Howard Jordan has commenced an investigation into allegations that two Oakland officers were filmed making frequent visits in downtown Oakland to a karaoke bar that residents nearby believe could possibly double as a brothel.

"I take these allegations very seriously, and the department opened investigations as soon as the circumstances were brought to my attention," Jordan said in a prepared statement.

The establishment in the midst of the controversy is called Cafe Juliet, located at 266 14th St. which just happens to be four blocks away from City Hall. On Monday, the manager maintained that there was no sexual activity taking place and that the officers were simply performing security checks to ensure that people in the private karaoke rooms weren't doing drugs.

According to the Oakland Tribune, KTVU staked out Cafe Juliet for several nights when it was discovered that the cameras had recorded "women in skimpy clothing" going into the business, along with two officers in uniform Sgt. Warren Young and Officer Barry Ko making repeated visits.

This scrutiny began after it was reported that a Port of Oakland official had spent public funds at that place of business.

Now, according to department regulations, officers are allowed to perform security checks at businesses and allowed to take lunch breaks at restaurants, although they can't sit at a restaurant's bar.

Although Chief Jordan assured that the matter is under investigation, neither officer has been placed under administrative leave at the moment.

According to the Tribune, when a KTVU reporter questioned Young about his visits, the sergeant replied that "he had a friend working at the karaoke bar...that he performs a security check there and that the bar is not home to prostitution."

Share this article

Comments

Dawn Edwards began working with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in the summer of 2005 as a program director with Bay Area PoliceWatch. She has facilitated know your rights workshops to high schools and community organizations, advocated for victims at the San Francisco Police Commission hearings, and participated in numerous radio shows, print and television interviews, and panel discussions related to race and police. You can contact Dawn at dme73@hotmail.com.